Handset

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈhæn(d)sɛt/

Definitions

1. A portable telecommunications device that includes both a speaker and microphone for communication purposes
2. This instrument serves the dual role of transmitting and receiving sound while allowing for voice interaction in a communication system
3. A device designed for making and receiving calls, incorporating elements for sound transmission and reception along with user interaction features

Etymology: The word is a plain compound: "hand" plus "set," in the sense of a piece of apparatus or equipment. The "set" element is the same one found in "television set" or "radio set," where it denotes a complete device rather than a group of things. A handset is therefore a set of equipment that fits in the hand, and the term describes the part of a telephone that is held to the head, combining the speaker and microphone in one unit. The compound's logic is physical and literal. Early telephones were often fixed to a wall or a desk and used a separate earpiece and mouthpiece, so the move to a single hand-held unit gave the device its name. The word describes the object's form and how it is used rather than any abstract idea, which is why it has stayed attached to the telephone even as the rest of the instrument has changed shape.

Synonyms: receiver, unit, telephone, mobile, gadget